Tips about Disney Cruise Line, Magic Kingdom and Planning

Print out adhesive address labels of everyone you will be sending postcards to on your trip. You will wind up carrying one sheet of paper with you instead of an address book, and won't forget anyone in your vacation frenzy! - Victoria L. Moynihan

I went on a Disney Trip with many people and I suggest this for anyone who is traveling in a larger group from one location. Each of us made a little gift for each person. We made notes, bags of candy, tapes with our favorite Disney songs, coloring pages, games, and pictures. Then before the flight each person put their gifts in everyone else's bags. It added a lot of excitement to have a plane packet. My gift was a little more complex, but it was great. It was a journal that had quotes, pictures, photos, maps, and brochure clippings pasted inside. Everyone on the trip wrote in them. Another tip is to have a pre-party a week or two before the trip. We did this before our cruise. We played games, had dinner, read through books and researched little things and just discussed everything. Then we had a post party to look at pictures and videos. - Lindsay

We love to visit WDW over the Christmas holidays. In fact, I've already booked our 2 week December Wilderness Lodge trip. As you know, the holiday season rates at the resorts are out of this world. A few years ago we just happened to stumble on the fact that the rate you receive for your entire stay is based upon what "season" it is when you check in. Thanks to this little known fact, we are checking in on December 20th (the last day of value season) and receiving the value season rate for our entire 13 night stay! By arriving on the 20th (instead of the 21st) we are saving hundreds of dollars. - DZNYNUT35

I was recently unable to book a room for the nights of 2/9 -2/10 to no avail. Then I started asking for the whole week and many things became available. When it became time to pay for the entire trip, I just had them cancel the other days and I kept the nights that I wanted. - Roxanne Stritt

To save yourself some money, and avoid the grocery trip on the way in, send yourself a package via UPS to your hotel. Mark on the package: hold until guest arrival xx/xx/xx (the date). Package up whatever you like to eat: cereals, Parmalat milk, crackers, juice boxes, etc! - Dorothy Kurz

At WDW, it is difficult to save both time and money. Usually you have to spend one to save the other. Figure out which is more important to you, and plan accordingly. For instance, buses will take longer than driving, but will save you the cost of a rental car and parking fees. - Jen Kitchen

ALL PARKS - I found that if you get tired of waiting in long lines, and you don't mind splitting up your party ( maybe to 1, 2,or even 3) some attractions offer singles lines. These lines help fill up unused space. I tried this at Test Track and the normal wait time was 70 minutes. It took me 5 minutes on the singles line and I still got a seat with my parents. - Matthew

We recently enjoyed our first cruise on the Disney Wonder. The last night we were sad that it was almost over. We had bought plenty of souvenirs and Christmas presents on the ship, but my husband got a great idea when he went to the disembarkation meeting to pick up our paper luggage tags. All the different characters were on the tags, and some had the cruise ship on them as well. He took a few extra, laminated them, and put them on a small Christmas tree that we keep next to our sliding glass door year-round. They're beautiful and quite unique, and every time we walk by we have great memories of our Wonderful cruise! - pjm957

I usually rip off the destination tag the airline places on my luggage without giving it a second thought. However, on a recent trip I left it there and it was a good thing. While on my recent 7-day Disney cruise, I was getting dressed and discovered the hem of my slacks was ripped out. I had not packed a sewing kit and was at a loss, until I spotted the destination tag. I carefully pulled it apart, then, using a pair of scissors, I cut several pieces and was able to place the sticking side on the hem. I got away with wearing the slacks until I arrived home to properly repair them. - Linda Eckwerth

Last week a tip involved taking a highlighter on a cruise in order to plan out daily activities. Here is another take on that tip. You can use a blue highlighter, and your spouse (or companion) can use a yellow highlighter. Then the highlighted items that are green you know to do together! - Theresa Browning

This tip applies to cruisers (even non-Disney ones). Take a brightly colored highlighter with you on the cruise. As you go over the "Personal Navigator" and plan out your next day, highlight the activities you want to do. With all there is to do on a cruise, it's easy to miss something as the day progresses. By highlighting your must-do events, you won't miss them. - Keith & Sandy Link

ALL PARKS - While wandering around Walt Disney World, I like to carry a small plastic tube for paper souvenirs. I use a plastic tennis ball container that has a lid -- other similar tubes will work well. This allows me to store maps, menus, napkins and any other paper items without them being crushed, wrinkled or soaked. I just put them under a few heavy books when I get home. - Brian Brennan

ALL PARKS - Be sure to have a group destination while walking around the park -- for example, once everyone in your party has ridden Buzz, decide where your group is headed, just in case someone gets separated. Then the rest of the group will continue on to that spot and wait until you regroup. This happened to us recently at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party -- while heading toward the Haunted Mansion, the first parade ended and it was crazy in front of the castle. Our group of 11 broke up into 8 and 3 and luckily we all headed on to Haunted Mansion and waited until everyone met up again. It took only about 20 minutes to regroup, instead of everyone heading off to a "central meeting place" like in front of the castle! It is also always good to have a specific spot for emergencies, like at the Sword in the Stone, for example. Just stay together! That 20 minutes separated was scary. - Suzanne from Patchogue, NY

MAGIC KINGDOM - Time your ride of Splash Mountain around the fireworks display. Not only is the line usually shorter as everyone rushes to get a good spot to see the fireworks but, if you're lucky, you can emerge mid-ride into the open air, to a sky lit up by fireworks with a fantastic view. It happened to us by chance and we've managed to time our rides to that magical moment since then. Truly fantastic! - Joy Kennedy

ALL PARKS - I thought it might be a good idea to remind people to NOT help themselves to the ice that most WDW shops use to cool the water in the popular "Squeeze Breeze" bottles. We fill the bottles (with potable water) and then place them in a container of ice. That ice came from a restaurant or counter service and most likely started out sanitary. But after being in the container for a while, exposed to the air, bugs, and many little hands, it is no longer sanitary, and should not be placed into any bottles. There was an incident of people getting sick after being sprayed (in the face) with water from a bottle like that last year. Likewise, giving kids some of the ice from those containers to suck on is a bad idea. It's better to go to any counter service location and ask for some ice in a cup. - A WDW Cast Member